Soap-shaving machine.



H. R. EVANS.

SOAP SHAVING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 27, 1910.

1.045,828. Patented 1390.3, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON. D. C.

HENRY R. EVANS, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO G RANULATOR SOAP COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

soAP-sHAvrNG MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3,1912.

Application filed April 27,1910. Serial No. 557,898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl I, HENRY R. EVANS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soap-Shaving Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to soap-shaving machines, and one of the objects of the invention broadly is to provide means for preventing relative rotary motion during the shaving process between cakes of soap to be shaved, said means being so arranged as to permit the cakes of soap to be entirely consumed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of cutter to be used with such machines for granulating or shaving the soap.

The invention is especially adapted for use in soap-sliaving machines in which the axis of the cutter is arranged at an oblique angle to the axis of the soap so that the cut- .ter may simultaneously engage two or more adjacent cakes, but it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other types of machines iii which the cakes of soap are either held stationary or rotated during the cutting process.

one cake of soap to an adjacent cake to prevent relative rotary movement of said cakes i, while they are being simultaneously contion so as to engage and lock the cakes of sumed.

Other advantages of my invention willg more fully appear from the following de- I scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of;

cover 17 which is locked in position by this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a soap-f shaving machine embodying my invention:

The machine in oon- 1 nection with which I have shown my invention is one in which the axis of the cutter is r set at an oblique angle to the axis of they cakes of soap and in which the cakes aref caused to rotate by the action of the cutter thereon. In this type of machine my inveng tion is useful in transmitting motion from i tice, if desired, instead of having a circular view taken on the line ri-rv of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of a sleeve; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of the cutter looking down upon the samein the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a suitable base on which is secured an arm 2 at the upper end of which is mounted a receptacle 3 for receiving suitable cakes of soap 4 and 4 to be dispensed. The receptacle preferably consists of an outer shell 3 provided with a plate 5 in which is journaled a concave rotary cutter 6, the shell being provided with an opening 7 at its lower end through which the particles of shaved soap pass. The receptacle is preferably supported in an inclined position as shown, and provided with a longitudinal central spindle 8 also secured to the plate 5, and upon this spindle is rotatably mounted a sleeve 9 having one or more projections or fins 10 for engaging in grooves 11 formed in the cakes of soap so as to lock them from relative rotary motion. In order to reduce the friction between the sleeve and spindle, I prefer to turn upper and lower collars 12, 12 on the spindle, of substantially the diameter of the sleeve, the intermediate length of the spindle 1 3 being of reduced diameter. The spindle 8 has two additional collars 14 and 15 turned up thereon, and a suitable pin 16 projects from the sleeve between the collars 12 and 14 for preventing longitudinal movement of the sleeve on the spindle, thus holding the sleeve in place on the spindle and preventing its coming in contact with the cutter 6. In pracsleeve with one or more projecting fins, the sleeve may be formed irregular in cross secsoap from relative rotation, and the sleeve may be held from relative longitudinal motion on the spindle in any suitable manner The receptacle is provided with a suitable the sleeve they are held from relative rotary motion one to the other.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that the axis of the rotary cutter 6 forms an oblique angle with the axis of the spindle 8, and that the axis of the cutter and the axis of the spindle do not lie in the same plane; hence the axis of the cutter is offset from the vertical plane of' the axis of the spindle. rlhis is for the purpose of disengaging from the soap, the edges of the cutter farthest away from the axis of the soap, thus causing the cakes of soap to be fed down upon the spindle by the action of the cutter on said cakes, avoiding any possible chattering of the soap as is possible when the soap is fed only by gravity and allowed to slip up and down on the spindle.

The offsetting of the cutter axis thus insures a firm, steady cut. If the axes of the cutter and spindle were in the same plane, the axes of the cutter and soap would likewise be in the same plane, since the soap is concentric upon the spindle, and in this event, assuming a clockwise rotation, when the cutter is rotated, the cutting edges on the left of the vertical plane of the cutter axis would tend to lift the soap, while the cutting edges on the right of said vertical plane would tend to draw the soap downward so that the two forces would be neutralized and the soap would be free to slip back and forth on the spindle, being only held down by gravity; but by offsetting the axis of the cutter to the left of the vertical plane of the spindle and soap, when the cutter is turned in a clockwise direction (the direction in which it cuts the soap) the cutting edges coming up on the left of the vertical plane will not engage the soap until they pass through said vertical plane and start to descend, at which position the cutting edge will engage the soap, causing it to rotate in a clockwise direction and at the same time, the soap will be held down upon the spindle and fed to the cutter. By making the cutter with its inner surface forming an acute angle to its axis, the cutting edges will hug to the soap and cut the soap throughout a considerable arc of their revolution, thus shaving a greater quantity of soap for a given number of revolutions of the cutter, and by providing a concave cutter as shown, the engaged area of soap is still further increased.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 and assuming a clockwise rotation, it will be observed that the engaging cutter edges above the hori- Zontal plane of the cutter axis tend to rotate the soap in the direction of this part of the cutter, namely, from left to right, and that the cutting edges which engage the soap below said horizontal plane tend to rotate the soap in the opposite direction, namely, from right to left, so that if the cakes of soapv were free to rotate in a direction corresponding to the resultant action of the cutter thereon, each cake of soap would rotate in a direction determined bv the resultant of the forces acting on such cake. This being the case, after the lower cake ofsoap has been cut away so that it is in a position at which the forces from the cutter tending to rotate the soap, balance each other, the cake will remain stationary and cease to be further shaved by the cutters, thus rendering the machine inoperative; but by providing the sleeve 9 with suitable projections, or by making it of suitable cross section so as to engage the different cakes ofsoap and lock them from relative rotation, the lower cake of soap, when it is consumed to a point where it would otherwise remain stationary, will be driven by the upper or larger cake, by means of the sleeve.

In order to diminish the component of force from the cutter acting upon the soap to resist its rotation in the direction of the prevailing force from the cutter, and to further facilitate the shaving of the soap as long as there is any particle-of the cake left, the spindle is cut away or slotted transversely at 19 so that the outer edges of the cutter extend substantially to the center of the spindle. This construction permits the cutting edges to extend as far as possible toward the opposite side of the soap from the cutter, which construction, by reducing the leverage of the resisting component, thereby decreases the resisting force of this component upon the soap, and at the same time permits the cut-ting edge to out across the axis of the soap in passing beneath the same.

The cutter 6, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6, is especially designed for use with machines of the type herein shown, in which the cutter axis forms an oblique angle with the axis of the soap; but as hereinbefore pointed out, certain features of the cutter are equally as advantageous in other types of machines. In machines where the cutter acts both to rotate and shave the soap, it is necessary to the efficient operation of the machine that the advancing edges of the cutter blades be so formed that they will act most eiiciently to fulfil this double function. To illustratethe action of the cutters on the soap, let it be assumed by way of explanation that the edges of thev cutter blades are radial, and bearing in mind that the cutter axis is offset from the axis of the soap, it will be apparent that the maximum .driving action on the soap will be obtained,

for at the top of the cutter where the blades first engage with the soap, the full edge of the cutter is presented to the soap at right angles to the direction in which the edge is traveling and the direction in which it is desired to drive the soap. But .itV has been found in practice that the radial cutter edges form spiral grooves in the soap in which the cutter blades will track, and that they exert but a very slight drawing or cutting action tending to draw the soap down and hold it to the cutter, and because of these reasons, they cease to cut the soap. On the other hand, if we assume a cutter in which the side cutting edge forms a very acute angle with a tangent to the circumference of the cutter at the point of said cutting edge, it will be seen, by referring to the figures of the drawing that, as the cutter edges come up on the left of the cutter axis and engage the soap, substantially in a vertical plane passing through the axis, the component of the cutter action tending to drive the soap will be very slight, since it presents its edge to the soap at very much less than a right angle to the direction in which the soap is traveling and in which general direction it is desired to drive the soap; but it will be further observed that while the driving component is thus too weak to effectively rotate the soap, the cutting edge will have a maximum drawing o-r cutting action tending to draw the soap down and hold it to the cutter.

From this explanation of the action of cutters which have a maximum driving and minimum drawing action, and cutters which have a minimum driving and maximum drawing action, the importance of the cutter design and construction becomes apparent.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 6, I have shown one form of cutter made in accordance with my invention, and which is so constructed that the cutting edges, while capable of driving the soap at a suitable speed, give the desired drawing action to hold the soap down and readily consume it. To this end, I have formed the cut-ter blades Q0 with their advancing or cutting edges 2l having a cutting portion 22 which forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees to a tangent to the circumference of the cutter at the advancing point of the blade.l the lower portion 23 of the cutting edge being more radial than the portion 22, and the two cutting portions being separated by a nitch or recess 24. rI`he purpose of the radial portion of the edge 23 is to give the proper driving force to the soap to rotate the same, while the edge 22 has a drawing action upon the soap which holds the soap down to the cutter and readily consumes it. The nitch or recess between the cutting portions 22 and 23 is for the purpose of splitting the shaving which would otherwise be broader than desired.

I have found that for the cutter to operate eiiiciently in cutting and rotating the soap, the angle of the cutting edge 22 as measured from a tangent to the circumference of the cutter, as shown in Fig. 6, should not be less than 20 degrees nor more than 70 degrees, and that the most efficient operation is obtained when this portion of the cutter forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the said tangent.

The cutter is further provided with one or more projecting teeth 25 formed in its outer edge, which permit cakes of soap of different diameters to be used with the same cutter. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that if the cutter was not provided with an outer granulating edge, if the soap was of such diameter that it would even slightly overhang the extreme upper edge of the cutter, the latter would revolve beneath the cake without cutting into it sufficiently to permit the calze being fed down to the cutting edges 22 and 23, thus rendering the machine inoperative. But by providing the cutter members 2() with suitable. granulating outer edges, the overhanging portion of any cake of soap would be rapidly chewed away by the upper edge of the cutter, thus allowing the soap to be fed down into engagementwith the cuttino edges 22 and 28. Obviously, the use of the outer granulating rim is not confined to cutters having their axes forming an oblique angle with the axis of the soap, since it may be useful in connection with any cutter which is so located with respect to the soap, that the soap by overhanging the cutter, would render the machine inoperative.

Obviously, various modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of the same, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular construction or arrangement other than as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the soap, a cutter for shaving the soap, a central longitudinal spindle secured within the receptacle for centering the cakes of soap, a member mounted rotatably thereon to revolve during the cutting process and en` gaging the cakes of soap to lock them together and cause them to revolve with said member about .the spindle.

2. In a soap-shaving machine, the vcombination of a receptacle for the cakes of soap, a longitudinal spindle in said receptacle for receiving and centering said cakes of soap, means for rotating said cakes of soap, and a rotatable member within the receptacle on said spindle engaging said cakes of soap to lock them together, and cause them to rotate together about said spindle.

3. In a soap-shaving machinethe combination of a receptacle for cakes of soap, a central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a sleeve rotating about the spindle and receiving cakes of soap to be shaved, means for rotating said cakes of soap, andi one or more fins on the sleeve engaging With the cakes of soap to cause them to rotate t0- gether.

Ll. In a soap-shaving machine, the combination of a receptacle for cakes of soap, a central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle for receiving and centeringsaid cakes of soap, a. member rotating about the spindle, means for holding said member from longitudinal movement on said spindle, said member having a part engaging longitudinal openings in the cakes of soap to cause them to rotate together, and means for rotating said cakes and member about the spindle.

5. In a soap-shaving machine, the combination of a receptacle for cakes of soap, a fixed central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a member rotating onthe spindle receiving cakes ot' soap to be shaved, and holding the Cakes of soap from relative rotary movement one to the other, a cutter extending beneath said rotating member, means for holding said member out of engagement with the cutter, and means for rotating said cutter.

6. In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the cakes of soap to be dispensed, a rotating cutter for shaving the soap positioned therein so as to rotate and shave said cakes of soap, and means Within the receptacle for locking the cakes together' and rotating them and preventing relative rotary movement between them While they are being dispensed.

7. In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the cakes of soap to be dispensed, a longitudinal spindle in said receptacle for centering said cakes of soap, a rotary concave cutter operating to out and rotate said cakes of soap, and a longitudinal member rotatable on the spindle and passing through a central opening in the cakes of soap to en* gage and lock the cakes and cause them to be rotated in the same direction bythe cutter.V

S. In a soap-shaving machine, the combination of a receptacle for cakes of soap, a longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a sleeve rotating on the spindle and receiving the cakes of soap to be shaved, a rotatable cutter within the receptacle positioned to simultaneously cut on two o-r more cakes of soap and rotating the same, said sleeve engaging with said cakes of soap for locking them together and causing them to rotate in the same direction when engaged by said cutter, and means for holding the sleeve out of engagement With said cutter.

9. In a soap-shaving machine, t-he combination ol a receptacle for cakes of soap, a central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a sleeve for receiving the cakes of soap to be shaved rotatably mounted on the spindle to revolve during the cutting process, a rotating cutter for cutting and rotating the soap, a part of said cutter extending beneath the sleeve, said sleeve engaging the cakes of soap to lock them together to cause them to revolve in the same direction when they are engaged by the cutter, and means for holding the sleeve out of engagement With the cutter.

l0. In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the cakes of soap to be dispensed, a longitudinal spindle Within the receptacle for centering said cakes of soap and provided With a transverse slot, a rotary concave cutter operating to cut and rotate said cakes of soap, the axis of said cut-ter forming an oblique angle With the said spindle, a longitudinal member rotating on the spindle and passing through a central opening in the cakes of soap to lock the cakes together and cause them to be rotated in the same direction by the cutter, and means for holding said member out of engagement with the cutter.

1l. In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the cakes of soap to be dispensed, a longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a rotary concave cutter provided with a plural.- ity of cutting edges, said cutter engaging with said cakes of soap through a substantial arc of their circumference and operating to cut and rotate said cakes of soap, the axis of said cutter forming an oblique angle with said spindle, a sleeve rotating on the spindle and passing through central openings in the cakes of soap for engaging said cakes and locking them together to cause them to be rotated in the same direction by t-he cutter, and means for holding said sleeve out otl engagement with the cutter.

l2; In a soap-shaving machine, a receptacle for the cakes of soap to be dispensed, alongitudinal spindle in said receptacle passing through a cent-ral opening in said cakes of soap, a sleeve rotatable on said spindle and also passing through the central opening in the cakes and engaging said cakes to cause them to rotate together upon the spindle, a cutter for the said cakes of soap, the axis oi." Which forms an oblique angle with said spindle, the inner surface of said cutter forming an acute angle with its axis and engaging said cakes of soap through a substantial arc of their circumference, said cutter being provided with one or more cutting edges extending beneath said sleeve, and

Vmeans for holding said sleeve above said cutting edges.

13. In a soap-shaving machine, the combination of a receptacle for the cakes of soap, a central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle, a sleeve for receiving the cakes of soap, rotatably mounted on the spindle to revolve during the cutting process, a concave rotary cutter Within the receptacle having one or more cutting edges, the axis of said cutter forming an oblique angle With the axis of the spindle, said cutter operating to simultaneously cut portions of the soap above and below a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the cutter, said sleeve engaging the cakes of soap to cause a lower cake to be rotated in the same direction with an adjacent upper cake, and means for holding the sleeve out of engagement with the cutters.

14. In a soap-shaving machine, the combination of a receptacle for the cakes of soap, a central longitudinal spindle in said receptacle provided with a transverse slot therein, a sleeve for receiving the cakes of soap rotatably mounted on the spindle to revolve during the cutting process, a concave rotary cutter within the receptacle ahav ing one or more cutting edges, the axis of said cutter forming an oblique angle with the axis of the spindle and lying in a plane parallel with the plane of the spindle and offset therefrom, said cutter operating to simultaneously cut portions of the soap above and below a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the cutter, said sleeve engaging the cakes o-f soap to cause a lower cake to be rotated in the same direction with an adjacent upper cake, and means for holding the sleeve outof engagement with said cutters.

15. A cutter for use with a granulating machine, having an outer granulating edge, and one or more cutting or granulating portions intermediate said outer edge and the base of the cutter.

16. A critter for use with granulating machines, having an outer edge with one or more granulating teeth formed therein, and having a longitudinal cutting or granulating edge intermediate said outer edge and the base of the cutter.

17. A conical cutter for use with granulating machines, having a granulating rim and one or more cutting or granulating edges intermediate said rim and the apex of the cutter.

18. A concave cutter for use with granulating machines, having one or more granulating teeth or cutting projections on its circumferential edge and one or more granulating or cutting parts between said circumferential edge and the center of the cutter.

19. A dished cutter comprising a plurality of soap-granulating or cutting members each provided with a longitudinal edge and an outer edge, said longitudinal and outer edges having one or more soap-granulating or cutting parts formed therein.

20. A dished cutter for use with granulating machines, having a circumferential edge concentric with the axis of the cutter,

provided with one or more cutting or granulating portions, said cutter being also provided with cutting or granulating portions intermediate said circumferential edge and the axis of the cutter.

21. A dished cutter having granulating teeth formed in its circumferential edge and having one or more cutting portions intermediate said circumferential edge and the axis of the cutter.

22. In a soap-granulating machine, a receptacle for the soap, a cutter for granulating or cut-ting said soap, the inner surface of said cutter forming an acute angle with the cutter axis, the soap-engaging portion of said cutter farthest away from the cutter axis being formed to granulate the soap, and one or more granulating or cutting edges extending parallel with the plane of the cutter intermediate said axis and said farthest engaging portion.

23. in a soap-granulat-ing machine, a receptacle for the soap, a cutter for granulating or cutting said soap, said cutter being rotatable on an axis at an acute angle to t-he axis of the soap and the inner surface of said cutter forming an acute angle with the cutter axis, the soap-engaging portion of said cutter farthest away from the cutter axis being provided with one or more granulating or cutting teeth, and one or more granulating or cutting portions on said cutter intermediate said axis and said farthest engaging portion.

24. In a soap-granulating machine, the combination of a receptacle for the soap, a rotary cutter forming an oblique angle with the axis of the receptacle, said cutter having an outer edge provided with one o-r more soap-granulating or shaving parts formed therein, and said cutter being further provided with one or more soap-granulating or shaving portions intermediate said outer edge and the axis of the cutter.

25. ln a soapgranulating machine, the combination of a receptacle for the soap, a rotary cutter for granulating or shaving the soap, provided with an outer edge having soap-granulating projections formed therein, and provided with a cutting edge intermediate said outer edge and the axis of the cutter.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY R. EVANS.

Witnesses SAMUEL M. VARD, Jr., EDWIN SEGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

